Where does “verscherpen” come from?

verscherpen (Dutch) comes from Dutch scherp, from Middle Dutch scharp, from Old Dutch skarp, from Proto-Germanic skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerb-, from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- — to caw, crow.

verscherpen (Dutch): to sharpen, to tighten

Definitions

  1. to sharpen, to tighten

Ancestry of “verscherpen”, step by step

verscherpen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch scherp

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchscherpsharp, able to cut easily; alert, on the ball;...
2Middle Dutchscharpsharp; rough, harsh to the skin; fierce, intense
3Old Dutchskarp
4Proto-Germanicskarpazrough
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kerb-rough, sharp
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

via Dutch ver- -en

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchver- -enForms factitive or ergative verbs from adjectives, meaning "to make more (adjective)" or "to become (adjective)"
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer-